Katie Arrington blames Mark Sanford for loss to Joe Cunningham

Katie Arrington is blaming her loss to Joe Cunningham in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District race on Congressman Mark Sanford, along with donations to her opponent's campaign from sources outside South Carolina.

A Republican personally endorsed by President Donald Trump, Arrington won four out of five counties in the 1st District during Tuesday's election, but a lopsided loss in Charleston County ultimately tilted the scales in Cunningham's favor.

Arrington, who sought Congress above her seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives, addressed press and supporters Wednesday morning after saying she'd called Cunningham to concede the race and congratulate him.

"No one’s ever called and congratulated me, but this is about this community," Arrington began her speech.

After thanking Jesus, her husband, her family and supporters, Arrington launched into an attack of Mark Sanford.

Arrington defeated Sanford a three-term Republican incumbent who on occasion openly disagreed with President Trump during the June primaries, yet Arrington said Sanford was the reason she lost in the general election.

"We lost because Mark Sanford could not understand this was about the conservative movement, and not him," Arrington said, moments after lamenting no one ever called to congratulate her.

Arrington went on to ask Sanford's donors to request the outgoing Congressman return their campaign donations to him "if they’re truly conservatives."

Arrington also blamed her loss on "money coming from around the nation into this district," calling her defeat more of a loss for the "conservative agenda."

However, Arrington vows to try running for the 1st Congressional District seat again.

"I am not done," Arrington said. "You knock me down, it teaches me how to get up harder. We will not give up. I believe in the platform I went out on. 2020, it’s just a few years away. ... We have people up there in Washington that’ll hold the line until we can get back in 2020. I’m not going anywhere.